


But You'll Never Be Alone

by PigSlay



Series: Things You Said prompts [3]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 13:42:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16265387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PigSlay/pseuds/PigSlay
Summary: The adrenaline of performing at MSG led Zayn here to this tattoo parlor, where he's getting a tattoo dedicated to the amazing night. When he looks over at Louis though, Louis looks sad. What's bothering him, Zayn wonders?Written for the tumblr prompt "things you said when we were on top of the world".





	But You'll Never Be Alone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zouee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zouee/gifts).



> I don't know One Direction. If you're on tumblr I'm sure you've seen this post making the rounds of various "things you said" writing prompts (https://otppromptlists.tumblr.com/post/177672412731/send-me-a-ship-and-one-of-these-and-ill-write-a). The lovely zouee asked me to do this one. :)

Madison Square Garden. Those three words echo in his head on a loop, over and over again. No matter how many times he repeats them though, they still don’t seem real.

He can’t believe they’re really here; the world’s most famous arena, a place he never even dreamed would be possible for him to perform at when he first auditioned for the X Factor.

“Is this real?” Louis asks, voice cracking a little bit at the last word. “Like are we sure this is real and not just a dream?”

Zayn looks at Louis. His shoulders are tense, he’s hunched over, and he looks like he’s trying to stop himself from burying his head in his hands.

“Well, if it is a dream, please don’t wake me up,” Niall says with a half-hearted laugh, biting at his nails.

There’s a true nervous energy in the air, like none of them feel they are truly ready for this big of a performance. Zayn wishes he could say something, do something, to put all of their minds at ease, including his own, but he’s just as scared as the rest of them.

They just recorded a few scenes for This Is Us, and he’s hoping Ben won’t put this moment in the final tape. He doesn’t think he wants his parents and sisters to see him and his friends so fragile like this.

A few minutes pass of conversations here and there that Zayn barely participates in, until finally they’re being called to the stage. He takes a few deep breaths, reminding himself that this is always the worst part, and he will feel so much better once those curtains actually open.

He feels a pat on his back and turns around to see Louis looking at him with a nervous smile. “It’s okay Zayn, we’ve got this, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Zayn nods, returning Louis’ smile. He will never admit out loud how much a simple smile from his best friend makes him feel so much more relaxed already. 

Taking one final breath, all five of them go into their little pre-performance circle, say ‘we push!’ and then turn around. The curtains open and the screams immediately start; Zayn wants to tear up right then and there looking at how many people are staring back at him. But he won’t, not until the show is over at least…

He turns to Louis, who looks in about the same condition, mouth open, eyes looking watery but happy all the same.

The whole show passes in a blur of excitement and unbelievable happiness amoung the boys and their fans. Zayn wishes he could take a picture of the entire night and go back to it when he needs it - but he can’t, so of course the next best idea to him is getting a tattoo.

Once it all ends and they’re backstage again, Zayn practically jumps on Louis. “That was so sick!” he announces to his friend. “Louis, so many people from so many places around the world came to see us. I gotta get a tattoo!”

Louis laughs but looks at him fondly. “And how are you supposed to do that babes? It’s already nighttime and we’ve gotta go back to record now.”

“Tomorrow then,” Zayn insists. “Tomorrow, will you go with me so I can get a tattoo and commemorate this day?”

“Well, how can I say no when you look like that Zayn?” Louis smiles widely at him.

“Yes!” Zayn cheers, with Louis laughing at him again. On that note, they both go back to the tour bus together, still reeling with so much energy.

***

“I still can’t believe we did it man,” Zayn sighs as the New York tattoo artist starts putting the familiar feeling of ink on his arm. His other hand is in Louis’, who is also getting a tattoo today - not one related to MSG, but a tattoo all the same.

“I know,” Louis agrees, rubbing comforting circles around his hand. “You were so awesome too Zayn. Like, you killed it! Your voice never ceases to amaze me, like.”

“Same to you, babe,” Zayn tells him, hoping it sounds as genuine as he means it. He’s never sure, with how drowsy tattoos can sometimes make him. “You were such a crowd favorite, like, last night.”

Louis scoffs slightly. “Well, I’m not sure about all that, but thanks for the sentiment.”

Zayn thinks for a minute, humming. “Well, you were  _my_  favorite,” he says, moving his own thumb on the back of Louis’ hand.

Louis is silent for a few moments after that, and Zayn cranes his neck slightly to look at him, trying not to mess the tattoo artist up in the process. He’s biting at his lip, looking contemplative.

Before Zayn can say anything, the tattoo artist finishes up. “Thanks man,” Zayn says as he looks at it.

“Always a pleasure,” the artist says, then gives Zayn the instructions for how to take care of the tattoo in the upcoming days. Zayn thinks by now he could probably recite it from memory, but he still listens anyway, because it never hurts to remind yourself of important things like this.

After they’re done, he turns to Louis. “Umm…” he turns back to them. “Could you give me and Louis a second before he gets his one done?”

“Yeah, of course,” the artist replies, starting to walk away. “I should probably, like, clean this thing off or something anyway.” They motion to the bag that has their tattoo machine inside it.

Then they walk out the door and it’s just Zayn and Louis. “Lou, what’s bothering you?” Zayn asks, removing his hand from Louis’ and using it to raise Louis’ chin to face him.

“It’s just…” Louis starts, sighing. “That was absolutely mad, and like, what if one day all of those people just decide they don’t want to be our fans anymore? I wouldn’t be able to take it…”

“Hey,” Zayn says soothingly, putting his hand back in Louis’. “Don’t think like that, babe. Thanks to these fans we’re going on a worldwide arena tour in just a few months. They must love us, or we wouldn’t even be able to do something like that.”

Louis plays with his mouth a little bit. “But what if they do leave, though?”

“Well, then, I guess, it will still be okay,” Zayn decides, sitting up slowly. “Because we will still have each other, yeah?”

Louis still looks wary, and Zayn decides to drive the point home by bringing their lips together into a kiss. “We’ll always have each other, no matter what.”

Louis breaks into a smile now, which makes Zayn’s heart flutter. “Thank you, Zayn. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Zayn tells him, his own smile sprawled across his face now. “Now go get the tattoo artist, I don’t think they’re really still cleaning their machine.” 

Louis laughs at that, and it’s Zayn’s favorite sound in the world. He knows how Louis feels; it’s definitely an insecurity he’s had to wrestle with himself from time to time. But he meant what he said: they will always have each other, no matter what happens next.


End file.
